making masks, iterations n-1 and n
Aug. 13th, 2020 10:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kate_nepveuI hand-sewed my first few masks, back in March, and acquired an entry-level sewing machine relatively early on. Since then I've been iterating machine-sewn masks as I learned what I liked. I was asked today elsewhere about the current iteration, and I've been meaning to write this up, so now's the time.
Iteration n-1 is a minor variant on the Clover mask, for which there are instructions at Google Docs. You can see it in the first three pictures of this Google Photos album. I tried this because (1) it involves just rectangles and straight lines and (2) it introduced me to the idea of a single fabric tie, that loops behind your neck, comes through each side of the mask, and then fastens behind your head. I find this more comfortable for long wear because it doesn't pull on my ears.
For the fabric ties, I don't tie the ends behind my head, because that way leads to pulled hair and annoyance as I get the tension wrong the first time and have to re-tie it. Instead, I thread each end through a double cord lock/cord stop, and then sew the ends together. Quick to go on, easily adjustable, can't come out of the mask.
I do like this conceptually, but because I have a quite flat nose, I was beginning to dislike the way the mask rested against my face. Then I saw Bizzy Bates' masks, which kind of pop out at the nose and chin, holding the fabric away from your face, and said, "Oooh, I bet I can do something like that." And I did. (I have ordered one of hers on principle, but it hasn't arrived yet.) My version is the second three pictures in the same Google Photos album, inelegant excess stitching and tailor's chalk marks and all (I took the pictures right after I finished it).
(And yes, I bought a full bolt of that fabric. It was before stores reopened and browsing Joann's website for what was available for curbside pickup was such a pain that I didn't want to come even close to running out.)
Instructions (note: everything here is a straight stitch):
Start with the basic building block of the Clover mask, a 8.5 x 16" (ish) rectangle of fabric, hemmed on the long sides.
Don't pleat; skip to the step where you fold it in half and sew the short edges together, wrong sides out. Turn right side out.
Fold the top down, and the bottom up, so that they meet in the middle. This is now the inside. (See the first of the four origami-paper pictures in the same Google Photos album.)
To fit it the first time:
Clip or pin what would be the top edge when unfolded, and the bottom edge ditto, each about an inch-ish in from the side. Also fasten in ear-loop elastics or fabric ties. (See the second picture.)
Go to a mirror and carefully put on the mask. (If you're using pins, make sure the pointy bits are on the side AWAY from your face!)
Reach inside and pull the top edge out and up until it's resting on your nose. Do the same for the bottom edge with your chin. (See the third picture, only paper isn't as flexible.) Mark the spots where the fabric starts folding away. (You may find you need to adjust how far down you've folded the top and bottom edge, not just how far in you've fastened the fabric.)
Sew in from the sides to the points where you marked your fabric. Try it back on. You may find you also want to sew open the popped-out fabric. (See the fourth picture and the black marker lines; if the color contrast isn't good enough, sorry, please tell me and I will reproduce using different paper, I wasn't thinking this through when I grabbed it. Also see the picture of the inside of the pop-out mask, though as I stitched black on black, it'll be worse from a contrast perspective.)
If you're going to make more of these, measure your seams and write it down.
If you're using a nose wire, you can either insert it at this step, or you could insert it right after you sew the short edges together and turn it right-side out (step 2).
Add in your fastener. I've only done ear-loops so far, which I insert into the folded sides (see the rubber bands in the pictures) and stitch in place. If I were doing the single fabric tie, I'd see if I could fold the sides outward to form channels? But I might need a wider base mask to do that.
Finally, since there's no pleats, you may find that the sides of the mask gap a bit. Pinch and fold the fabric while you're wearing it until the gap disappears and then sew it so it stays put.
(I don't bother marking the front, because I store them folded and the nose wire makes it clear which way they go.)
Anyway, this might not be enough for those who really need separation from their face, for which there are more structured alternatives. But it's very easy to make and requires no additional materials, so I thought it worth writing up.
Oh, and as you can see, for ear-loops (which I do like for short-term, quick-on-and-off uses), I use hair elastics cut open at the glue join, not elastic cord, because when I first started, there wasn't any to be had.
If anything about this wasn't clear, please ask!
+1 (thumbs-up, I see you, etc.)?
no subject
Date: 2020-08-14 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-08-14 02:49 am (UTC)Thanks! I forgot to say that I bought some off Amazon where they were available in larger quantities; I'll look up which if anyone wants.